I will be flying in to Durango and bow hunting the Pagosa Springs area the week of Sept.13 to 20th.
My problem is if I am fortunate to harvest an elk I need to get it back to Michigan.
Any suggestion...or help?
Might be spendy but your meat processor could ship it in a few boxes. Likely going to run you a few hundred dollars. Could be cheaper to rent a truck like was previously mentioned.
You didn't mention whether you are hunting with an outfitter or DIY. If outfitted your outfitter will know what to do - if he doesn't, he is not legitimate. If DIY you have much to consider before you get your game home to Michigan. #1 how do I get 500 lbs + of meat and horns, plus all the gear I took with me out of the brush and to game processor? Where is the processor, anyway? Are you flying or driving from Michigan? Will you be shipping your meat, or hauling it yourself? Is this your first elk hunt? If not, then you must have considered all this before, how did it work, or not work, for you.
I have written numerous elk hunting articles on DIY hunting. A couple of those articles are chapters of my book, "Not Looking To Die - and other Tales of The Hunt" which is available by title online @ Amazon.com
I've guided elk hunters for 22 years. Many of my hunters faced this meat shipping dilemma. Fortunately the licensed/bonded outfitter I worked for took care of all the job of getting the meat off the mountain and in to the hunter's home freezer. Good luck with your hunt. Bill Sansom
Least expensive:drive to Durango and drive your elk home. With prices of gas so low this could really save$$.
If flying: bone out everything, pack meat into coolers (50# per), add I small piece of dry ice, seal with duck tape, and fly it home as excess baggage. Cost around $50 per cooler. It gets home when you do.
I've never had to get elk meat home from out of state but i've done what ElkCamp suggested with fish coming home from Alaska. I would also recommend getting your meat as cold as possible before packaging it up in coolers. You can usually buy cheap coolers at walmart for around $20-$25.
If price of shipping gets to high than take the best parts home in a cooler with you , your processor can flash freeze them over night and pack it for you and then donate the rest . In Montana there is a fund set up to pay for processing of wild game that is donated so it doesn't cost the hunter any extra.
